COLLEGES: MEN'S SOCCER

COLLEGES: MEN'S SOCCER; Late Goals Lift U.C.L.A. to the Title

By ALEX YANNIS

Published: December 15, 1997

RICHMOND, Dec. 14—
A decision by Coach Sigi Schmid of U.C.L.A. to change tactics in the late stages of today's title game by moving Seth George from attack to midfield won the National Collegiate Athletic Association soccer championship for the Bruins. George got behind the Virginia defense on counterattacks and scored twice in the last 11 minutes to give U.C.L.A. a 2-0 victory.

With George being marked effectively by Virginia's Scott Vermillon while playing as a striker, Schmid decided to withdraw George into the midfield to give him more room to operate. The move forced Virginia to push a defender out of his normal alignment and U.C.L.A. found a way to capitalize before a crowd of 20,143 at the University of Richmond Stadium.

''We felt Seth was marked well,'' Schmid said of his decision to reposition George, U.C.L.A.'s top scorer this season, ''and we moved him back because the other two strikers were doing so well we wanted to keep them up front.''

Martin Bruno and McKinley Tennyson, the two strikers kept up front, assisted on both of George's goals as the Bruins won their third national championship. Virginia's defeat was its first in six title games. Last year's champion, St. John's, was eliminated earlier in the tournament.

George scored his first goal with 10 minutes 23 seconds remaining in regulation, when he collected a pass from Bruno, a substitute, on the left side of the penalty area and beat Virginia goalkeeper Brock Yetso to the far post for his 15th goal of the season.

George's second goal came with 8:03 left, this time from close range on the right after a crossing pass from Tennyson, whose sudden-death goal eliminated previously undefeated Indiana in the semifinals on Friday.

''They had a game plan and they stuck to it all the way through,'' Virginia Coach George Gelnovatch said of U.C.L.A., which posted its 11th consecutive victory and finished with a 22-2-0 record.

Chris Albright had the first clear chance for the Cavaliers, in the 35th minute. But his shot from the left side was smothered by U.C.L.A. goalkeeper Matt Reis, who plunged to the near post to make the save.

A clever pass by Virginia's Ben Olsen set up Brian West at the top of the penalty area in the 40th minute, but West took an extra step, allowing Reis to come off his line quickly and narrow the angle. West was forced to shoot directly at Reis, and his shot was turned away.

Reis, who had nine saves, was voted the Final Four's most valuable defensive player. The corresponding honor for play on offense went to George, who gave credit to Bruno and Tennyson for his two goals.

Torres and Parlow Get Hermann Trophy

The Associated Press

RICHMOND, Dec. 14 -- Johnny Torres of Creighton and Cindy Parlow of national champion North Carolina were today named winners of the Hermann Trophy, given annually to the nation's top male and female college soccer players.

Torres, a senior forward, scored 13 goals and had 13 assists for a career total of 46 goals and 36 assists. He led Creighton to its sixth consecutive N.C.A.A. tournament appearance. Creighton lost, 1-0, to Saint Louis in the second round.

Parlow, a junior forward, had 13 goals and 18 assists this season, including the opening goal in the Tar Heels' 2-0 victory over Connecticut in the national championship game last weekend. She has 47 goals and 42 assists in her career.

Caleb Porter of Indiana and Robin Confer of North Carolina were the runners-up in voting by top college coaches.